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    A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler: 4th Edition
    A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler: 4th Edition
    A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler: 4th Edition
    Ebook104 pages49 minutes

    A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler: 4th Edition

    By Guide Dog Users, Inc.

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    About this ebook

    When I first explored what it would be like to become a guide dog user, it was like traveling to a strange land full of unfamiliar routines, feelings, nomenclature, and equipment. I wish this handbook had been available back then, but am so pleased that it has finally become a reality to help from this point forward.

    This concise and informative handbook answers questions not only for the prospective guide dog team, but also the general public. Part One, Section One sets the stage with heartfelt accounts from multiple guide dog users. The handbook then covers it all, from filling out the first application to learning how to handle the myriad responsibilities of being the human part of the team. It is an accurate and comprehensive reference.

    It is also important for the reader to take note of how much GDUI supports us, especially during those times of access denial, in the wake of disaster, and in those instances of the retirement or death of a beloved canine partner.

    In conclusion, this is the perfect manual to support a partnership and path of independence. I hope you share it with your family, friends, colleagues, blindness and disability advocacy organizations, and other guide and service dog handlers.

    Ann Chiappetta, M.S.
    Author of Follow Your Dog: A Story of Love and Trust
    GDUI Life Member

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGuide Dog Users, Inc.
    Release dateJul 2, 2018
    ISBN9780463088340
    A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler: 4th Edition

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      Book preview

      A Handbook for the Prospective Guide Dog Handler - Guide Dog Users, Inc.

      Terms

      The following terms have been chosen to best define institutions or processes.

      Guide Dog

      A dog trained to enhance mobility for a legally blind person. Some basic tasks the dog can be expected to do upon completion of training include: stopping at changes in elevation; avoiding obstacles or dangerous traffic situations; taking directional instructions from the handler; locating specified objects, such as curbs, doors, steps, etc.; and reasonably ignoring distractions during its work. The dog may be trained for a variety of other activities, but generally dependable behavior in the above tasks is essential.

      Provider

      An organization or individual established to train dogs as guides. The term provider covers a wide range of administrative formats, including private or specialized training programs.

      Handler

      A blind person who is currently working with a completely trained guide dog. It is a generic term and conveys the bond and dual working relationship between dog and person.

      Graduate

      A person who has completed training from a specific provider and has successfully graduated with a guide dog. In this text, it refers to those receiving specific services from the provider, such as after care or advocacy assistance.

      Alternative Media

      Used in accessibility legislation to define media such as braille, audio files, and large print produced to make information accessible to the print disabled.

      Graduate Services

      This term describes services offered by the training provider beyond those required for graduation. Such services may include, but are not limited to, after care/follow–up services, additional training in the home area, or yearly visits to assess the team.

      Due Process

      The specific procedures followed to register complaints and administer solutions.

      Introduction

      Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) is a support and advocacy group and a national special interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. It is also the largest consumer organization of people associated with the dog as a guide.

      Guide Dog Users, Inc. supports the effort to advocate for individual rights. We have compiled this handbook to discuss some aspects of interaction with the training providers, the public, and those desiring more information about options of working with a guide dog. Our goal is to keep the path of independence free for you and your dog.

      Many people say they knew virtually nothing about guide dogs before making the decision to trust one on a daily basis. Information about working with a guide dog is limited and sometimes unrealistic in nature. We have chosen to focus on the relationship between the blind person and the training provider. This first contact and exposure to the concepts of guide work shape future impressions and habits.

      This GDUI publication is designed to benefit all who associate with guide dogs and their handlers. Our endeavors would not be possible without the participation of guide dog handlers and training providers throughout the country.

      Part One

      Is a Guide Dog for You?

      Individuality is the essence of working with a guide dog. There are no fixed answers, and everyone does things slightly differently. We offer only advice. Please modify our suggestions to fit your situation. Share your triumphs with us so that we can better educate others.

      There are so many factors that go into the decision to work with a guide dog. Perhaps you have just walked face first into a rain−laden branch, been clotheslined by a rope barrier, or stumbled into a hole your cane didn’t detect.

      You wonder if a guide dog is the answer to your travel problems. Here are some things you may want to consider before researching when and where to get a dog.

      How much traveling do you do alone? Would you like to do more independently, unassisted by family or friends?

      Travel skills are very important in working with a guide dog. You can’t direct a guide dog unless you have an understanding of basic orientation skills. The ability to solve problems such as getting lost or dealing with ignorant members of the public is part of independent travel.

      Unlike a cane, a dog can’t be put in a closet or propped in a corner when you find it inconvenient to use him. They require discipline, care, and feeding. Dogs are only dogs, and like people, they are not perfect. We all make mistakes. The key to a successful team is how each team member corrects

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